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National Association of Epilepsy Centers Designation

OHSU Brain Institute, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center is the only program recognized by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers (NAEC) as a Level 4 epilepsy center in Oregon. Level 4 epilepsy centers have the professional expertise and facilities to provide the highest level of medical and surgical evaluation and treatment for patients with complex epilepsy.

What are levels of epilepsy care?

Levels of epilepsy care were developed by the NAEC. They are a useful tool for evaluating the appropriateness and quality of specialized epilepsy care.

The primary goal of an epilepsy center is to achieve complete control or at least a reduction in the frequency of seizures and/or medical side effects in patients with epilepsy.

What is a Level 4 epilepsy center?

Level 4 is the highest designation for a NAEC epilepsy center. A Level 4 center offers complete evaluation for epilepsy and a broad range of surgical procedures.

What are the benefits of a Level 4 epilepsy center?

A Level 4 epilepsy centers serves as a regional or national referral facility for epilepsy patients. It provides complex forms of intensive neurodiagnostic monitoring, as well as extensive medical, neuropsychological and psychosocial treatment.

Fourth level centers also offer a complete evaluation for epilepsy surgery including intracranial electrodes and provide a broad range of surgical procedures for epilepsy. Many Level 4 centers are actively involved in clinical trials and are well-aware of trials conducted in other Level 4 centers to make patient referrals.

A Level 4 center usually also includes an experienced medical team (including an epileptologist and epilepsy surgeon with at least five years experience each) and an ample volume of video-monitoring patients annually, particularly surgical evaluations (defined as at least 100 cases).

What is NAEC?

Founded in 1987 by physician-leaders committed to setting a national agenda for quality epilepsy care, NAEC educates public and private policymakers and regulators about appropriate patient care standards, reimbursement and medical services policies. NAEC connects people with epilepsy to specialized epilepsy care and supports epilepsy specialists in the operation of their epilepsy centers.